“So, what? Pageants don’t pay?” She doesn’t exactly seem poor given all of the clothing she has, so I don’t really understand why she’s so hard up for cash.
Winnie snorts out a laugh. “Pageants cost a lot but pay in exposure. What I earned was from social media and appearances. And I earned a lot, Jonah. A fuck ton. Most of it went into my mom and dad’s accounts, though, and I barely saw a cent.Iamthe family business, after all,” she bites out.
There’s nothing I wouldn’t give to help my parents, but that doesn’t seem to be what Winnie is describing. “Are they really that bad?”
Winnie turns towards me and her face is set in harsh, angry lines. “Yes, that bad. Worse, even. They would have never let me go and I’m sure they’ll stop at nothing to get me back now that I’m free. Neither one of them have jobs. They needme.”
The reality of Winnie’s situation sinks in. She’s on the run, as I suspected, but not from an ex and not from the law. She’s on the run from her own parents. Her flesh and blood. It makes me shudder. And it’s clear there isn’t much I can do to help her. She needs money to fight her parents, and every centIhave goes to my mom’s medical bills.
“That’s…that’s awful, Winnie,” I say, at a loss for anything more constructive.
“Yeah. It is.”
In the paddock, Rosie is rolling around in the snow, and I see a flicker of a smile cross Winnie’s face as she watches her. Animals, especially horses, are magic—capable of making eventhe worst wounds seem a tiny bit better. After my mom got diagnosed, I spent a lot of time here at the rescue.
“How’s your relationship with your parents?” Winnie asks. “I hope it’s good, because I need to believe that it’s possible, and that mine are just some horrible anomaly.”
“My parents are great, honestly. I’m an only child, so I spent a lot of time with them as a kid, but they always came up with fun games to keep me entertained. My dad has a huge personality and makes everyone he knows laugh. And my mom…” My voice catches on the word.
“What?” Winnie asks softly.
“My mom is fine,” I say in a voice that is steadier that I feel. “But for a few years she wasn’t. She got diagnosed with breast cancer a year and a half ago, and it was a hell of a fight. I thought…I worried we might lose her. But still, I’m not—I’m not over it. And we’ve still got medical bills from it hanging over our heads, reminding us of it daily.”
It sounds simple when I put it like that, but inside I know I’m a mess. Wondering if the person you love the most in the world is going to make it to their next birthday will do that to you, and even though she’s okay now, sometimes I don’t believe that she really is.
Winnie reaches out and places her hand on mine on top of the fence, and gives it a quick squeeze.
“I’m glad she made it through. What’s she like?”
“Sort of like me,” I say. “That’s what my dad always says.”
“So, grumpy and a bit stubborn, but also quiet and kind?”
I feel my damn cheeks heat despite the cold and I almost can’t believe it. It’s been a long time since a woman made me blush, but then again, it’s also been a long time since I received a compliment so heartfelt. Especially from a woman.
“Something like that,” I mutter.
“Thanks for following me out here, Jonah,” Winnie says after a moment. “You don’t owe me anything and barely know me and yet you still came to make sure I was okay.”
“Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help. Do you feel any better?” I ask.
“Definitely,” she says, giving me that sunny, radiant smile of hers.
For some reason, I don’t believe her.
13
WINNIE
After Jonah leavesthe horse rescue, I head into the house for some much needed alone time. The knowledge that my parents know I’m in Star Mountain has shaken me up and I desperately need to find some internal peace—if that’s even possible. I put on a lemon yellow sports bra and matching shorts, and grab my yoga mat. I haven’t done any exercise since coming here aside from mucking, and moving my body seems like a good idea.
I start going through some easy poses, just warming up and trying to center my thoughts. Then I start on a sun salutation, the up and down motions of it familiar and calming. I get to my second down dog, and for some reason, I’m reminded of the time my mom tried to do yoga with me.
Is this really all that difficult, Winsome?
Is this worth wasting your time on?
Shouldn’t you be running?
